Anadarko finds more Mozambique gas, oil shows off Kenya

Anadarko Petroleum Corp.-led groups have drilled a new natural gas accumulation near the center of Offshore Area 1 in the Rovuma basin offshore Mozambique and encountered noncommercial oil shows off northern Kenya.

The Orca-1 well cut 190 net ft of natural gas pay in a Paleocene fan system in an accumulation fully contained in Offshore Area 1. The group plans to drill two appraisal wells after drilling its Linguado and Espadarte exploratory wells on prospects farther north on the block.

Orca is a single large Paleocene column, Anadarko said. The discovery well went to 16,391 ft in 3,481 ft of water.

Anadarko is operator of Offshore Area 1 with a 36.5% working interest, Mitsui E&P Mozambique Area 1 Ltd. has 10%, BPRL Ventures Mozambique BV and Videocon Mozambique Rovuma 1 Ltd. have 10% each, and PTT Exploration & Production PLC has 8.5%. Mozambique’s state ENH has 15% carried through the exploration phase.

Meanwhile, Anadarko said the Kubwa well on the L-07 block offshore Kenya encountered the noncommercial oil shows in reservoir-quality sands.

Bob Daniels, Anadarko senior vice-president, worldwide exploration, said, “We are very encouraged with our first test of Kenya’s previously unexplored deepwater basin, in which mudlog and well-site evaluation of core data indicates the presence of a working petroleum system with reservoir-quality sands.”

Daniels said Kubwa tested multiple play concepts and provided useful data regarding the prospectivity of Anadarko’s 6-million-acre position offshore Kenya. The rig will move to drill the Kiboko well on Block L-11A offshore southern Kenya.

Anadarko operates L-07 with 50% working interest, Total E&P Kenya BV has 40%, and PTT E&P has 10%.